The Keystone pipeline system was shut down on Tuesday morning due to an oil spill in southeastern North Dakota. Officials confirmed that the pipeline ruptured north of Fort Ransom, which is about 78 miles southwest of Fargo.
Bill Suess, who manages the spill investigation program at the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, reported that a worker at a nearby pump station heard a loud noise and immediately reported the incident at 7:44 a.m. The pipeline was shut down within two minutes of the report. As of now, the spill is contained to an agricultural field just south of the pump station.
Suess noted that a nearby stream was isolated as a precaution, but it has not been impacted by the spill. The Keystone pipeline system, which stretches 2,687 miles, transported around 626,000 barrels of crude oil daily in 2024. The pipeline was previously operated by TC Energy, which faced opposition for its Keystone XL project and ultimately canceled it in 2021. The system is now managed by South Bow, a company that was spun off from TC Energy in October 2024.
Solomiya Lyaskovska, a spokesperson for South Bow, stated that the company has deployed personnel and equipment to the site of the rupture. She explained that the shutdown was triggered by leak detection systems that identified a pressure drop in the pipeline. The affected section has been isolated, and resources are being mobilized to ensure safety and minimize environmental risks.
This incident follows a history of spills from the Keystone pipeline. In December 2022, over 500,000 gallons of crude oil spilled in Washington County, Kansas, due to bending stress and a weld flaw. Additionally, in October 2019, a leak in Edinburg, North Dakota, released about 383,000 gallons of crude oil, affecting wetlands in the area.
As the situation develops, authorities are focused on the safety of the personnel on-site and the potential environmental impact of the spill.